The parents of a seven-year-old girl who learnt to walk in Hungary are setting up a charity to make it easier for children to get help nearer to home.

Graham and Debbie Brown, from Wigston, want to raise awareness of a special teaching programme, pioneered in Hungary, which taught their youngest daughter Molly to take her first steps when she was four.

Dad Graham said: "It was such a very emotional and earth-shattering moment to see Molly begin to take her first few steps.

"Most parents wait one-and-a-half years to see their child walk. We waited nearly five.

"Molly doesn't walk fully on her own but it is a huge leap from where she was."

To mark the formation of the charity, Graham and Debbie have brought Molly's instructor Zsofi Nadasi, from the Peto Institute, in Hungary, to Leicestershire to run two taster sessions in conductive education – the method which helped their daughter to walk.

It teaches children how to have more control over their co-ordination and carry out tasks such as standing and feeding themselves as well as walking.

They are hoping eventually the charity – Conductive Education UK – will run summer schools in this country.

Molly was five weeks old when she developed a life-threatening respiratory virus and, following seizures, developed a bleed on the brain.

Doctors said only time would tell how badly the youngster had been affected.

Mum Debbie, 41, said: "We were traumatised. Doctors couldn't tell us how Molly would develop except that by the time she was four they, and we, would have a better idea.

"It was a very slow process. When she reached ages where milestones would be reached by other children we would think, well, maybe next year."

When she reached four, Molly was still not walking and was due to start to school.

Debbie, a nursery manager, said: "We knew Molly really needed to learn to walk so she could be more independent."

It was then she discovered more about the Peto Institute and the family decided to see if it could help Molly.

Debbie said: "Everyone tries to give their child the best and we thought this would give Molly the best."

After a week at the institute in 2008, Molly was beginning to take her first steps. The family was so thrilled they stayed on another week and made return trips in 2009 and 2010.

Debbie said: "We want to raise awareness of conductive education and to see it more widely available."

Taster sessions are being held at Birkett House, Wigston, today from 9.45am to 11.15am and from 1.30pm to 2.45pm. For more, Debbie Brown on 07917 767192.